Bow-top holder for tops with non-detachable rear curtains.



C. L. BATH.

BOW TOP HOLDER FOR TOPS WITH NOMDETACHABLE REAR CURTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 19H5.

PELLGHQT. TTBM, 26 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. L. BAIR.

BOW TOP HOLDER FOR TOPS W-ITH NON-DETACHABLE REAR CURTAINS.

' APPLICATION FILED 1UNE3. 191e.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'narran arritmias nafrnnir cierren.

CLARENCE L. BAIR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 AUTO SPECIALTIES IIAII'II-- FACTURING C0., OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

BOW-TOP HOLDER FOR TOS WITH NON-DETAOHABLE REAR CURTAINS.

Spe'cication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 191%.

Application led .Tune 3, 1916. Serial No. 101,455.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. Bain, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of lNayne and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bow-Top Holders for rTops with Non-Detachable Rear Curtains, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to bow top holders for vehicles of the general type shown in my Patent Number 1,010,110, issued November 2S, 1911, designed to hold the supporting bows of a vehicle top in separated position one from the other when the top is collapsed. The object of this invention is to provide a holder of this class of suoli a construction that it can be used. to confine Vthe bows of a top which has a solid rear curtain attached to the bottoni bow of the vehicle, which class of top cannot be taken care of with the bow holders of types shown in my above mentioned patent. The invention consists in providing a bow holder which, while capable of grasping and separating the bows of the top, is open on the side toward the vehicle so that the continuous curtain above referred to is provided for when the top is collapsed without injury thereto; this, in combination with means for moving the holding parts of the bowholder out ofthe path of travel of thel bows, as they move between open and closed position, and vice versa.

The invention further consists in the features. and details of construction hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims. n

Referring to the drawings, in which similar numerals indicate the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle and top showing the device of this invention applied thereto in position ready to have the bows of the top lowered into it prior to securing them in place.

Fig. 2 shows the top collapsed and the device of this invention applied to the bows.

Fig. 8 is a side viewof the device of this invent-ion in the saine position as in Fig. 2, the bows and solid curtain being shown in cross-section. l

Fig. 4 is a changed position view of the parts of Fig. 3.

. Fig. A5 is a perspective view, reduced, of

the device of Fig. 8, removed from the vehicle. Y

Fig 6 is a perspective view of a control plunger removed from the other parts of the device.

The top to be taken care of by the device of this invention is illustrated in the drawings as having side bows 10, 11, 12 and 13 and differs from tops ordinarily taken caro of by devices of the type of my prior patent in that the back of the vehicle is closed by a solid curtain 14, which is, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, attached at its sides to the bottoni bow 10, as well as to the vehicle body 16 in the line 18, it being obviously attached to the upper portion or top proper in the line 20, and the general problem solved bythis invention is to provide ineans for readily securing all of these bows 10-13 together while accommodating this curtain 14C, perinanently attached to the bottom bow 10.

The bow holder for accomplishing the desired result comprises a relatively short fixed base or stock 22 secured to the vehicle body 16 by any well known securing device, such, for instance, as pin 2li, forming no part of this invention.

rIhe stock 22 is provided with two suitably arranged hinge pivot pins 26 and 28 designed to accommodate, respectively, the two swinging arms 80 and. 32, shown in the drawings. Arm 32 corresponds generally with the swinging arm of the bow holder of my said prior patent and is accordingly provided with separator members 34; adapted to operate between `adjacent bows, as shown. At the upper end of swinging arm 80 is another hinge pivot 36 to which is pivotally attached relatively short arm 38 dcsigned to, as shown, swing down over at least the uppermost bow 13 and thus rinly secure it in position in the manner described. Tlie stock 22 and the arni 3() are lined with a rubber cushion 410. All that desired for swing of arm 8O is thatl it shall swing from the position of Fig. 3 to that of F ig. 11 in which it is out of the way of the descending bow tops -10-13 as the vehicle top is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, accordingly arinBO is' provided with a projecting finger 31 which engages internal wall 33 inside of stock 22, and this limits the movement of arm 30 beyond the position of Fig. i. Similarly and for .the same reason, the movement iio kofarm beyond the rposition of Fig. 4 is not desired, and this is accomplished in two ways; first, by constructing tlieshape of bearing surface 39 of the pivot joint, details not shown, so as to stop this movement, and, second, and more important, by interconnecting arm 32 with finger 31 of arm 30. To accomplish this said ie ier 32 is provided with a depending finger or lug 42 entering a hole 44 formed/in a plate 46 carried by arm 48 depending from 'a piston or plunger 50 slidable backward and forward within the tubular opening 52 formed in the stock 22, the finger 31 on arm 30 entering a recess 53 in said piston, so that the two arms 30 and 32 necessarily move in unison. The upper end of arm is provided with a convex surface or lug' 54 adapted, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, to lie nicely in a recess 56 formed for the purpose in the back of arm 30. On the back of arm 82 and in the particular case here illustrated on the opposite side thereof from lug 54 is a similar recess 5S in which the point 60 of operating` hand lever 62 is correspondingly adapted to rest when the ,parts are in the position of Fig. 3. Owing to the fact that the pivots 26 and 2S and the interlocled members 54 and 56 form three corners of a triangle, the arms 30 and 32 are necessarily rigidly locked in the position of Fig. 3.

YConnecting lever 62 and arm 38 is a spring link 64, made, as shown, in the form of a paralellogram whose ends form the pivotal connections 66 and 68 ofthe link with the lever and arm. These pivots areA so located that when the device 1s closed the sides of the link 64 are below the pivot 36 with the result that when the vparts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the tensionv of this link 64 holds both arm 3S and lever 62 in the position shown inA Fig. 3. iVhen, however, the operator takes hold of handle 70 on lever 62 and swings it in a counter-clockwise direction about its end 60, all the parts may be moved to the position shown in. Fig.

4. 1t is noticeable that when the parts are in tlhe'position of Fig. 4, wherein ythe 1 ,In a deviceA ofthe classdescribed, the

combination with a fixed blocker stock adapted to b'esecured'to a vehicle'body, a

bow retaining arm mounted on said stock, so as to move toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached, adapted in said first position to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm mounted at the free end of said first arm adapted to move over a how lying adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm movably connected to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, and a locking device coperating` with the second and third arms for securing all of the parts in position to retain the bows of a vehicle within the device, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fixed block or stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm mounted on said stock, so as to move toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached, adapted in said first position t0 engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm mounted at the free end of said first arm adapted to move over a bow lying adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm movably connected to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, means inter-connecting the first and third arms so that they must move in unison, and alocking device cooperating with the second and third arms adapted, when released, to permit movement of all three arms to a position where they clear the path of travel of the bows of the vehicle top to which the device is applied, and adapted, when locked, to rigidly secure said arms in such a posit-ion that the first arm is adjacent to the folded in bows of the top, andthe 'second arm secures at least one bow to the second arm, for the purposes set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fixed block or stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm mounted on said stock, so as to move toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached, adapted in said first position to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm mounted at the free end of said first arm adapted to move over a bow lying adjacent to the rst mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm movably connected to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, means inter-connecting the first and third arms so that they must move in unison, means limiting the range of movement of said two arms, and a locking device coperating withy the second and third arms ada-pted, when released to permit movement of all three arms to-a position Where they clear the path of travel of the bows of the vehicle top to which the device is applied, and adapted, when locked, to rigidly 'secure said arms in such a position that the first arm is adjacent to the folded in bows of the top and the second arm secures at least one bow to the second arm, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a device of the class. described, the combination with a fixed bloclr -or stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm pivoted to said stock, so as to move toward and from the vehicle vto which the stock is attached, adapted in said first position to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm pivoted to the free end of said first arm, adapted to swing over a bow lying` adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm pivoted to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, and a locking device coperating with the second and third arms for securing all of theV parts in positionto retain the bows of a vehicle within the device, for the purposes set forth.

5. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a fixed block or stoclr adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm pivoted to said stock so es to move toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached, adapted, in said first position, to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm pivoted tothe free end 0f said first arm adapted to swing over a bow lying adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm pivoted to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, means inter-connecting the first and third arms so that they must move in unison, and a locking device cooperating with the second and third arms adapted, when released, to permit movement of all three arms to a position where they clear the path of travel of the bows of the vehicle top to which the device is applied, and adapted, when locked, to rigidly secure said arms in such a position that the first arm is adjacent to the folded in bows of the top and the second arm secures at least one bow to the second arm, for the purposes set forth.

6. in a device of the class described, the combination with a fixed block or stock adapted to be secured toV a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm pivoted to said stock so as to move toward and from the vehicle to which the steek is attached, adapted, in said first position, to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm pivotedto the free end of said first arm, adapted to swing over a bow lying adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm pivoted to said stock so as to lie outside the firstmentioned arm and adj acentV thereto, means inter-connecting the first and third arms so that they must move in unison, means limiting the range of movement of said two arms, and a locking device coperating with the second and third arms adapted, when re-` leased, to permit movement of all three arms to a position where they clear the path of travel of vthe bows of the vehicle top to which the device is applied, and adapted, when locked, `to rigidly secure said arms in such a position that the first arm is adja` cent to the folded in bows of the top `and the second arm secures at least one bow to the second arm, for the purposes set forth.

7. In a device of the-class described, the combination with a fixed stock or bloeit adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm pivoted at one end to said stock, and movable toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached between two diderent positions; in one of which the bows of the vehicle top can freely move from open to closed position without interference by said arm and attached parts, and in the other of which said arm is adj acent to the folded in bows and outside thereof; a second arm pivoted to the opposite end of said first arm adapted to swing over and embrace a vehicle bow adj acent to that end of the first arm, a third arm lying outside the first arm pivoted at one end to said stock and swinging' in the saine plane as the first arm, means inter-connecting the first and third arms so that moving either moves the other, interfitting parts on the first and third arms adapted to fit together when the parts are in the position of the first arm, wherein the vehicle top bows are retained in closed position, and a locking device cooperating with the second arm and the third arm adapted to secure the locking of said interfitting parts between the second and third arms, for the purposes set forth.

8. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a fixed block or stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm mounted on said stock, so as to move toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached, adapted in said first position to engage vehicle top bows on the outside thereof, a second movable arm mounted at the free end of said first arm adapted to move over a bow lying adjacent to the first mentioned arm and confine it adjacent to said arm, a third arm movably connected to said stock so as to lie outside the first mentioned arm and adjacent thereto, a piston or plunger mounted in the stock to slide transversely thereof, projecting ng'ers inter-cennecting the first arm and said piston and the third arm and said piston so that moving either arm necessarily moves the other arm, and a locking device cooperating with the second and third arms Y clear the path of travel of the bows of the vehicle top to which the device is applied and adapted, when locked, to rigidly secure Vsaid armsin such a position that the first arm 1s adjacent to the folded m bows of the top, and the second arm secures at least one bow to the second arm, for the purposes set forth.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a. fixed stock or block adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, a bow retaining arm pivoted at one end to said stock and movable toward and from the vehicle to which the stock is attached between two different positions; in one of which the bows of the vehicle top can freely move from open to closed position without interference by said arm and attached parts, and in the other of which said arm is adjacent to the folded in bows and outside thereof; a second arm pivot-ed to the opposite end of said firstarm adapted to swing over and embrace a vehicle bow adjacent to that end of the first arm, a third arm lying outside the first arm pivoted at one end to said stock and swinging in the same plane as the first arm, a piston or plunger mounted in the stock to slide transversely thereof, projecting fingers inter-connecting the first arm and said piston and the third arm and said pistonso thatmoving either arm necessarily moves the otherarm, interfitting parts on the first and third arms adapted to fit together when the parts are in the position of the first arm, wherein the vehicle top bows are retained in closed position, and a locking device cooperating with the second arm and the third arm adapted to secure vthe locking of said intertting parts between the second and third arms, for the bers loosely connecting each of said pivoted arms to said piston whereby moving either arm reciprocates the piston and consequently swings the other arm, and kmeans for detachably securing one of said arms in a predeterminedfixed position,

l1. In a device of the class described, in combination with a stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, an arm pivoted to said stock adapted to move toward and from the vehicle body to which the stock is attached between two positions; in one of which it clears the path of travel ot vehicle top bows on said vehicle and in the other of which it lies against the outside of said bows; a securing device on the opposite end of said lever movable between two positions, in one of which it embraces and secures a vehicle top bow against said arm, and a device outside of said swinging arm coinposed of two mechanisms cooperating together, one pivoted to the stock, the other pivoted t0 the securing device, adapted, when brought together in cooperative position, to force said arm to the position where it lies adjacent to the bows of the vehicle top and to siimiltaneously fasten said securing device upon the bow adjacent thereto.

12. ln a device of the class described, in combination with a stock adapted to be secured to a vehicle body, an arm pivoted to said stock adapted to move toward and from the vehicle body to which the stock is attached between two positions; in one of which it clears the path of travel of the vehicle top bows on said vehicle and in the other of which it lies against the outside of said bows; a securing device on the opposite end of said lever movable between two positions; in one of which it embraces and secures a vehicle top bow against said arm, a device outside of said swinging arm coniposed of two mechanisms cooperating together', one pivoted to the stock, the other pivoted to the securing device adapted, when brought together in cooperative position, to force said arm to the position where it lies adjacent to the bows of the vehicle top and to simultaneously fasten said securing de vice upon the bow adjacent thereto, and one Asingle lever manipulated by the user to cause said cooperation of said last nientioned mechanisms.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE L. BAIR.

.Witnesses Dwleirr B. CHnnvnn, M. S. Rosnnzwnro.

Copies'of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

